Bowling pin setter



Feb. 3,. 1953 B, B, BERANEK 2,627,408

BOWLING PIN SETTER Filed sept. 29. 1949 :s sheets-sheet 2 /7 /INVENTORBOWLING PIN SETTER Filed Sept. 29. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fg4 3/ .l 38\ pf @m J 7 9 .Z7 3/ l l" Z5 30 l 32 w j W u W 25 Z/ 28 /3 INVENToR.

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.Fg/fg. ./0 BWM @MM Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEBOWLING PIN SETTER Byron B. Beranek, Elcho, Wis.

Application September 29, 1949, Serial No. 118,571

This invention relates to pin setting apparatus for bowling games andparticularly to indoor bowling apparatus adaptable to shuliieboardtables and the like.

An object of the invention is to convert shuilleboard tables to indoorbowling.

Another object is to provide a pin setting device which is easilyoperated and will stand up under hard usage.

Another object is to prevent the dropping of the pins from the rack whenthe device is not in the resetting position and to protect the playingsurface of the table.

Another object is to lock the rack when in the resetting positionagainst closing on the pins.

Another object is to provide a pin rack which may be elevated out of theway of play of other games.

Another object is to provide for resetting o the device automaticallyfor reloading.

These and other objects and advantages wiil be more fully set forth inthe following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention asillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the pin setter on the end of ashufeboard table in playing position and showing in dotted lines theresetting position for unloading and the position of the supporting armsin the elevated position.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the shufeboard table with the rack in theelevated position;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view in side elevation of an alternative supportingspring;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the spring shown in Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rack in the elevated position andshowing details of construction of the supporting arms;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the end of a shuflieboard showing the positionsof the pins;

Fig. 7' is a side elevation of the rack with portions thereoi brokenaway and sectioned to show a pin as carried by the rack;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the rack;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic sectional showing oi the locking pins whichsecure the rack in open and closed positions; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the pins as they are resetupon the playing table.

The pin setting device I to which the invention is directed is shown asattached to the indoor shuieboard table 2 which comprises a playingsurface or board 3 of considerable length and which is supported by thelegs 4 about 20 inches from the oor for playing. The gutter 5 and sidewalls 6 extend on each side and across the back end of the board 3 toreceive the game pieces or bowling pins 1 in playing.

The pin setting device comprises the rack 8 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-42)adapted to carry a set of pins 1, as will be described, and the pairs ofarms 9 which are pivotally secured to the plates Iil at one end :and tothe sides of rack 8 at their corresponding opposite ends.

Each plate I0 may be secured to the bottom of the gutter 5 and sidewalls 6 or, as shown, may be secured to the outer sides of walls 5 sothat arms 9 dispose rack 8 at the end oi board V3 for setting of thepins, as will be more fully described.

Each pair of arms 9 are disposed in parallel to maintain rack 8horizontal at all times and provide for pivotal movement of the rack andlifting of the saine above board 3.

The frame II extending upwardly on each side of and over table 2 isprovided with the latch I2 which is engageable with the cross member I 3carried by opposite corresponding arms Si to secure rack 8 with arms 9in vertical position above the table, as shown in Fig. 5. In thisposition rack 8 with pins 'I is disposed out of the way for playingother games on table 2.

The coil springs I4 connected to frame I I and opposite arms 9 normallysupport rack 8 about 18 inches above board 3 in which position the rackis readily accessible and is easily reloaded with pins 'I during thebowling game.

Various other spring means may be employed as the helical spring I5shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which is mounted on the pin I6 securing arm S toplate Il) and is secured at opposite ends to the arm and plate to biasthe arm upwardly and support the rack.

The handle il extending on the side of rack 8 corresponding to the rearof table 2 is provided to be grasped for lowering rack 8 to set the pinsI in position on board 3.

The rigid frame I8 of rack 8 provided with the spaced crosspieces I9fits preferably over the end of board 3 and is provided with the feltstrips 2@ along the lower edges to prevent scufing the margins of board3. The rubber cushions 2l secured to the undersides of crosspieces I9 bythe screws 22 support rack on the top of board 3 to protect the playingsurface from damage.

The cylindrical metal sleeves 23 carried vertically by frame I3 are openat their upper ends to receive the pins 1. The plate 24 disposed acrossthe open lower ends of sleeves 23 is slidably carried between the sidemembers of frame IS and beneath crosspieces I9 by the screws 22 whichpass through the parallel slots 25 in the plate. The springs 2B carriedby frame I8 are connected to plate 24 normally to secure the plate asshown in Fig. 8 in the position closing the lower open ends of sleeves23.

The flange 21 along one side of plate 24 is adapted to be grasped withthe hand to slide the plate 24 against the biasing of springs 25 tobring the several holes 23 in plate 2li in registry with thecorresponding sleeves 23 and to release the pins 1.

The locking pins 29 and S0 slidably carried by the U-shaped' brackets t!are adapted to engage, respectively, either hole 32 or t3 in plate 24 tosecure the plate when in the raised position against movement releasingand dropping pins 'l on board 3 and when in the lower position againstclosing of the plate against the pins 'I' and damaging the same.

The arms 3d carried by shaft 35 are disposed to engage and lift eitherof pins 29 and 30, respectively, upon rotation of the shaft. The

crank 36- carried. by shaft 35 on the outside of frame I8 is disposed tobe engaged by the end s? of one of arms 9 having a cam surface whichthrough crank. 35 and shaft 35 moves arms 3ft in one direction to liftpin 2S! and allow the lowering of pin Bil when rack il is in the lowerresetting position on board 3. The spring 3S secured to crank 35 biasescrank 35 in the opposite direction to lift pin @il and allow thelowering of pin 29.

The springs 39 disposed between the ends oi brackets `2H bias pins 29and 32 downwardly against the face of plate 2f: or into the respectiveholes 32 and.

Hole 32 is disposedV to receive pin 23 when plate 24 isV in the positionto receive pins l, as shown in Fig. 8, and the pin prevents moving plate24 except, as described, when the rack is lowered on board 3 so that,for example, pins l cannot be inadvertently released from the elevatedposition and damage the board.

Hole 33 is disposed to receive pin 3d when rack 8 is lowered forresetting and plate 2li is moved as with flange 2, as described, to dropthe pins onboard 3. Pin 3d having dropped into hole 33 secures plate 2dagainst springs 25 until, as described, rack 8 is again raised and pinis lifted and pin 2S lowered against plate 2t.

Springs 25 then automatically return plate 24 to position for reloadingof the rack.

Pins 25 andY 30 provide positive locking against improper operation ofthe device.

The device may be adapted to playing of various types and is easy tooperate.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope ofthe accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. 1n a device of4 the class described, a table having an alleyway forthe support of one or more.I pins for bowling, a rack having a number ofopenings for individually receiving the pins, a closure plate slidablycarried by said rack disposed normally in a rst position to close thelower ends or" said rack openings and to support the pins therein andhaving a number of openings registering with said rack openings in asecond position to allow the pins to drop therefrom onto said alleyway,nrst and second looking bolts carried byl said rack and adapted toengage and secure said plate respectively in said rst and secondpositions relative to said rack openings, parallel arms pivotallyconnected at corresponding opposite ends thereof to said table and saidrack for securing said rack horizontally and providing for movementbetween lower and upper positions respectively on said table in thetables alleyway and above said table over the alleyway, and a pivotalmechanism carried by said rack and operatively engageable with saidlocking bolts and one of said arms so as to be actuated by movement ofsaid arm relative to said rack, said mechanism being disposed to movesaid rst bolt to release said plate from said first position uponlowering of said rack whereby said plate is movable to said secondposition to release said pins, said mechanism further beingsimultaneously disposed to release said second bolt to allow engagementthereof with said plate upon movement of the latter to said sec- 0ndposition and preclude reclosing of said openings while said rack islowered on the table.

2. In a device of the class described, a table having' an alleyway forthe support of one or more pins for bowling, a rack having a number ofopenings for individually receiving the pins, a closure plate slidablycarried by said rack disposed normally in a rst position to close thelower ends of said rack openings and to support the pins therein andhaving a number of openings registering with said rack openings in asecond position to allow the pins to drop therefrom, onto said alleyway,first and second locking bolts carried by said rack and adapted toengage and secure said plate respectively in said first and secondpositions relative to said rack openings, parallel arms pivotallyconnected at corresponding opposite ends thereof to said table and saidrack for securing said rack horizontally and providing for movementbetween lower and upper positions respectively on said table in thealleyway and above said table over the alleyway, a pivotal mechanismcarried by said rack and operatively engageable with said locking boltsand one of said arms so as to be actuated by movement of said armrelative to said rack, said mechanism being disposed to move said iirstbolt to release said plate from said first position upon lowering ofsaid rack whereby said plate is movable to said second position torelease said pins, said mechanism further being simultaneously disposedto release said second bolt to allow engagement thereof with said plateupon movement of` the latter to said second position and precludereclosing oi said openings while said rack is lowered on the table, andspring means normally biasing said plate to said second position,whereby thev rack openings are normally closed and said plate is securedagainst release of the pins except in the lower position of said rack.

BYRON B. BERANEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 935,353 Coiiin Aug. 10, 19091,144,091 Anderson June 22, 1915 1,297,951 Wheeler Mar. 18, 19191,564,054 Fisher Dec. 1, 1925 1,852,870 Williams Apr. 5, 1932 1,896,384White et al Feb. 7, 1933 2,017,143 Bentz Oct. 15, 1935 2,221,697 BallNov. 12, 1940 2,229,852 Kaufman Jan. 28, 1941

